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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. face — to point toward
  3. firm — a company
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. race — the arms race
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. firm — steady
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — humankind
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — to confront
  19. prune — to trim
  20. face — part of the head
  21. squash — the sport
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. firm — decided
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com